Worth the Risk
by Lucretia-Caseyandra
Summary: He sometimes wonders if marrying her was a mistake. Stupid, perilous, selfish. But in the end, worth the risk. Written by Caseyandra. Spoilers for DH! Canon character death!


"**Worth the Risk"**

**Summary: He sometimes wonders if marrying he was a mistake. Stupid, perilous, selfish. But in the end, worth the risk.  
**

**Disclaimer: None of it mine, blah, blah, blah, all J.K.'s, blah, blah, all that jazz.**

Remus John Lupin was not a risk-taker. In his school days, he was known as more of the "good" Marauder. No, his record wasn't spotless (all thanks to James and Sirius, of course), but he was a prefect, highly intelligent, and tried his very best to keep his very mischievous best friends in line. Even now, as a member of the Order of the Phoenix, Remus did not take very many risks.

And yet, trouble always seemed to find him, and this was probably due to the fact that his current physical condition wasn't ideal.

Nothing set him apart like his "furry little problem did".

Remus John Lupin was, in fact, a werewolf.

So, he avoided risks. At all costs. He didn't want to draw any more attention to himself than he already did. Then _it_ happened.

He had come up with several names for it. It, The-Situation-That-Must-Not-Be-Named, and Nymphadora Tonks.

What she saw in him he hadn't a clue. A werewolf, completely shut off, with nothing to offer a woman? But he of course knew. She was his complete opposite. She _was_ the risk-taker. She had to be, with her being an Auror and all. Light seemed to shine out of her every orifice. She was clumsy, spunky, funny, young, cheerful, and spontaneous. She was Tonks. She seemed unreachable.

He didn't mean to notice her. Really, he didn't. However, her forever changing appearance, and her incessant, cheerful mood caught his attention. And held it. At first, they were just obvious things that practically everybody knew. She was a total klutz, her favorite hair color was bubble gum pink, and she loathed the name Nymphadora. Then, he began to notice little things.

He knew that she always donned shoulder-length, bright blue hair on Tuesdays. Her real eye color was chocolate brown, which she only bore while sporting her bubble gum pink, spiked hair. Whenever Mad-Eye praised her, her posture seemed a little straighter and her eyes would brighten. She secretly helped Fred and George rig Filibuster fireworks underneath the kitchen chairs in Grimmauld Place, and even let them sneak an Extendable Ear or two under the door and into the kitchen during secret Order meetings.

Just little things he noticed. It was almost like keeping tabs on her, and if he hadn't been so intent upon studying her, he would have noticed she was doing the same thing with him. It was his lack of focus that caused him to make a foolish mistake, accidentally letting her in on his secret obsession with her life. It was all because of Molly Weasley and coffee.

_ Remus was sitting at the kitchen table in Grimmauld place with the Daily Prophet, half-heartedly scanning its pages. Molly was cooking breakfast, well almost done actually, and was finishing up Tonks's morning cup of coffee. However, Mrs. Weasley seemed off that day (at least to Remus, because who could mess up a cup of coffee they had routinely been preparing each morning for the past three weeks?), for she accidentally put five sugar cubes into the coffee. Tonks's preference, however, was three sugar cubes, and upon noticing, Remus said:__  
_

_ "Oh, no, Tonks prefers three sugar cubes, Molly."__  
_

_ Before she could retort on how she could care less about Tonks's sugar cube preference, the center of the conversation and Remus's current accidental obsession walked in. She was looking at Remus differently, a look between surprise and glee. She asked, "How do you know I like three sugar cubes in my coffee, Remus?"__  
_

_ "Um, well, I—," spluttered Remus, completely at a loss for words.__  
_

_ "Yes, how do you know?" Mrs. Weasley added, capitalizing on Remus's moment of incoherency.__  
_

_ "Oh, y-you see—," he tried to continue again, but was immediately cut off by Tonks.__  
_

_ "You really have an eye for detail, don't you, Remus?"__  
_

_ She had said it very quietly, and the whole atmosphere in the room changed. The air had become very thick, and seemed to crackle with electricity, the way it did when it foreshadowed an unexpected storm. Only later would Remus realize that it was sexual tension building, hanging in the air like a cloud of smoke. _

_Remus and Tonks were staring at each other intensely' and Mrs. Weasley, who had no doubt become quite uncomfortable, cleared her throat, but it sounded more like she was choking on the tension in the air. Both jumped, and seemed to come out of their reveries. Remus, in a sort of daze and in an effort to pull the awkward situation back together, asked, "So, breakfast, then?"_

Tonks seemed to watch him a lot more after that. Remus always felt her eyes burning holes in the back of his head at dinner, in the different rooms of the house while cleaning, and during Order meetings. No one else really noticed how Tonks and Remus were skirting around each other, except for Mrs. Weasley, who kept her mouth shut.

The summer passed uneventful, and the Weasleys, Harry, and Hermione headed off for their next year at Hogwarts. Tonks and Remus didn't see much of each other, just a few times when they went in and out of Grimmauld Place. The next time they really saw each other was at the battle at the Ministry. There they fought alongside each other, and their only focus was saving the children and keeping the Death Eaters at bay.

But as for the relationship between Remus and Tonks, the most important part was after the battle. The Order had won (no thanks to Dumbledore), but in Remus's eyes, it was a loss. Sirius was gone. He felt as if he had been ripped in two. It was like James and Lily all over again. Then another thought hit him. He and Peter were the only Marauders left.

Remus's world was falling apart, and Tonks was also in a bad state. After the Ministry,

Dumbledore moved all the injured to the Hogwarts hospital wing. After seeing that the others were well taken care of, Remus wandered the castle. He couldn't bear to look at the children anymore, especially Harry, who just again faced Voldemort and lost a godfather in one day.

When Remus walked onto the grounds, however, he found Tonks.

His breath caught in his throat. The light coming from the moon, which was reflected in the glassy lake surface, was dancing with the wispy spikes of Tonks' now dark-as-night hair, and making her skin look translucent. She was leaning back against the beech tree, one knee pulled to her chest and the other one laying straight out in front of her. Her sad, chocolate brown eyes were staring up at the sky, but more specifically, Remus realized, at a star: Sirius.

Just watching her lay there, Remus had a sudden, burning urge in the pit of his stomach to run a finger down her heart-shaped face...

_No,_ he thought, _I mustn't be thinking like this. I only have platonic feelings for her. She just lost a cousin, and I will comfort her, like a_friend_. Nothing more. She is much too young for me, and besides, why would she like_me_? Get yourself together, Moony, you stupid furball! No matter how much you care for her, you can't mix yourself up in a relationship!__  
_

And with a firm set of mind, he marched over to Tonks. But the outcome was not what he expected.

_When Remus's shadow fell over Tonks, she looked up into his face and gave him a sad smile. She scooted over to make room for him, then motioned for him to sit beside her. For a millisecond, he hesitated, but then he sat. For a long while, they just sat there in a companionable silence while the night wore on. Then finally she said, "I just can't believe he's gone, Remus."__  
_

_ A single tear rolled down her cheek, and impulsively, Remus caught it with his index finger, then let his finger continue to slide down her cheek, leaving a trail of fire. She closed her eyes and leaned into his touch. Remus yanked his hand back as if burned. His mind snapped back into focus. But before he could excuse himself, Tonks said softly, "Please stop this, Remus. You can't avoid this anymore. It's been a long time coming, and you know it."__  
_

_ Remus felt as if someone had socked him in the diaphragm. "I know."__  
_

_ "Then why, Remus? Why?" Her voice had risen slightly; her breath was coming faster. "For nearly a year we've been skirting around each other, and it's driving me mad! Please, Remus, I just want you to tell me how you feel."__  
_

_ "I... I'm sorry Tonks, but I-I don't want to jeopardize o-our friendship...," he trailed off at the look she was giving him.__  
_

_ "Don't feed me that line, Remus. I_know _how you feel about me, and trust me, telling me something I already know won't 'jeopardize our friendship.'"__  
_

_ "Tonks...," warned Remus, but she was relentless.__  
_

_ "Remus, I care about you, and I mean as more than a friend, or a sibling. Please, you must understand."__  
_

_ "Nymphadora," said Remus sternly; the aforementioned glared at the use of her first name. "I _do_understand," he went on, using a gentler tone. "But now you must understand me. I have a couple reasons why you must not love me. One: I am too old for you. You need someone young and whole. Two: I am a WEREWOLF. A werewolf, Tonks. You can't possibly love me. L-look at me! Look at my condition!" He was becoming frantic. "Please, Tonks! Please! You must find someone better!" __  
_

_ He was hoping they would finally come to an understanding and settle the whole matter, but it was a feeble hope from the beginning. Tonks' eyes were shining, and her face had broken into a grin. "So, indirectly, you're telling me that you love me?"__  
_

_ Good grief. She was_ so_overanalyzing this.__  
_

_ "Look Tonks, I think you should just drop it," he murmured. Then, without another word, he left. He knew he hurt her. But he had to sever all ties. Completely._

That time was probably the worst of Remus's life. He did not see Tonks the whole summer.

When he made one of his few visits to the Burrow, he heard many of the Weasleys talking about getting Bill and Tonks together, and a surge of jealousy would rage through him. Fortunately, Bill was engaged to Fleur Delacour, and his taste for the French girl wasn't going to change anytime soon. Tonks did try to speak with Remus several times, but he spurned her advances. There was no way he could see her without falling for her again. He heard that Tonks wasn't so bright and cheerful anymore, and that she was having trouble Metamorphosing. It was all his fault. Why did love have to be so complicated?

Then, at the end of the school year, Hogwarts was attacked by Death Eaters, secretly snuck in by a certain Draco Malfoy and his Vanishing Cabinet. That was the terrible night when Bill was attacked by Greyback and Dumbledore was killed. But it was again after the battle when the sparks between Remus and Tonks flew. After several months of separation, Remus was finally confronted with the thing he wanted most.

_They were gathered around Bill's sickbed. Remus was being asked many questions about Bill's condition, but he had no answers. He had never heard of someone being attacked by a werewolf who _wasn't _transformed. Then Ron mentioned Dumbledore.__  
_

_"Dumbledore might know something that'd work, though," Ron said. "Where is he? Bill fought those maniacs on Dumbledore's orders, Dumbledore owes him, he can't leave him in this state—,"__  
_

_ "Ron– Dumbledore's dead," said Ginny.__  
_

_ "No!" said Remus; he couldn't believe it— Dumbledore dead? Harry, however, didn't contradict her, and Remus collapsed into the chair beside Bill's bed. Then Tonks spoke.__  
_

_ "How did he die?" she whispered. "How did it happen?"_ (1)

_ When she spoke, Remus's ears snapped to attention, and he inwardly cursed himself for it. Things were already awkward when everyone showed up for the battle, but now Dumbledore's death seemed to make it heighten. All he wanted to do now was reach over and pull her to him, stroke her hair, and tell her that everything would be all right. But he refrained himself from doing so. To distract himself, he threw himself back into the conversation. Currently, McGonagall was speaking.__  
_

_ "...According to Hagrid you were with Professor Dumbledore when he– when it happened."_ (2)  
_ And so the conversation went, and Remus gave his opinions, asked questions, and comforted the others. Slowly they pieced together the whole sad story. Remus didn't think anything could get worse, but then Mr. And Mrs. Weasley showed up, and everything went down the tube.__  
_

_ They were, of course, in hysterics, and so Tonks and Remus retreated to the back so they could be closer to their son. Remus avoided Tonks' eye the whole time. Again Remus was asked questions about Bill's condition, but the only real answer was to wait until he woke up.__  
_

_ Mrs. Weasley then mentioned how Bill "was going to be married", and Fleur just blew up. She claimed that Bill won't stop loving her, and she won't stop loving him, werewolf or no werewolf. She was, apparently, "good-looking enough for the both of them". After Fleur's rant, she and Mrs. Weasley randomly started hugging each other and crying. That was when Tonks turned to Remus, and the latter's stomach jumped to his throat.__  
_

_ "You see!" said Tonks, glaring at Remus. "She still wants to marry him, even though he's been bitten! She doesn't care!"__  
_

_ "It's different," said Remus, his lips barely moving. "Bill will not be a full werewolf. The cases are completely—,"__  
_

_ "But I don't care either, I don't care!" she cried, seizing his robes. "I've told you a million times..."__  
__ A look of understanding then crossed Harry's face before Remus answered, "And I've told_you_a million times that I am too old for you, too poor... too dangerous..."__  
_

_ "I've said all along you're taking a ridiculous line on this, Remus," put in Mrs. Weasley as she patted Fleur on the back.__  
_

_ "I am not being ridiculous," said Remus. "Tonks deserves somebody young and whole."__  
_

_ "But she wants you," said Mr. Weasley. "And after all, Remus, young and whole men do not necessarily remain so." He gestured sadly to Bill.__  
_

_ "This is not the moment to discuss it," said Remus, his eyes flicking distractedly around the room. "Dumbledore is dead..."__  
_

_ "Dumbledore would have been happier than anyone to think that there was a little more love in the world," McGonagall said curtly. Remus was saved from answering when Hagrid lumbered in, sobbing and hiccoughing. That was the end of_that _conversation... or so Remus thought._(3)

Dumbledore's funeral was to take place on the grounds of Hogwarts, which was also his burial site. Everyone was depressed. Even Fawkes the phoenix had departed the miserable scene. The weather, however, seemed to mock the sad spirits attending the funeral. The day was beautiful; bright blue sky, sparkling sun. Tonks, Remus, and the other Order members stood in the back of the crowd, who all sat on white fold-up chairs.

So sad were Remus and Tonks that they forgot about their strife. When Hagrid walked down the center aisle with Dumbledore's body wrapped in purple velvet cloth covered in golden stars, Remus locked eyes with Tonks. There he found grief, depression, passion, and longing. And that was when his will crumbled. He broke down all his carefully built walls, his inhibitions, and just let it all in. Gently he took her in his arms and rocked her. She completely broke down. Her body rocked with sobs, and Remus was sobbing too, and together they overcame the death of the greatest sorcerer in the world, Albus Dumbledore.

That was, technically, the official beginning of Remus and Tonks.

The next month was pure bliss for the newly-found couple. On the run, never staying in one place, always taking a meal wherever they could. But together. A week before the Order went to move Harry to the Burrow, they got married. Nothing had made Remus happier, seeing lovely Tonks walking down the aisle and finally becoming his. It was a small affair, yes, but a happy one amidst all the depression.

Remus's shining moment popped like a soap bubble a week later when Mad-Eye died. They had safely moved Harry, but Mundungus Disapparated, George lost an ear, and Moody was dead. However, there was another wedding to plan, and everyone mustered cheerful moods for Bill and Fleur.

Remus felt very cut off and useless. He and Tonks had to depart early from Harry's seventeenth birthday party upon the arrival of the Minister, Scrimgeour. At the wedding, it was all he could do to keep the Death Eaters at bay. He barely caught a final glimpse of Harry, Ron, and Hermione

Disapparating to who-knows-where. But Remus had an inkling.

Remus and Tonks barely escaped. They decided to Apparate to their safe house, a small quaint cottage on the outskirts of London. They didn't want to endanger Tonks's parents any further. That night, however, was one that changed Remus's life.

_By a small, crackling fire, Remus and Tonks sat, the former leaning toward the warmth with a disturbed, contemplative look, the latter sitting back into the couch cushions with a mug of tea cupped in her hands. After watching Remus for a while, Tonks attempted to start a conversation.__  
_

_ "I wonder if Fleur will be able to return the tiara—,"__  
_

_ "Muriel will get it back somehow," he cut her off bluntly.__  
_

_ "Yes, well, you know how Muriel is—," she tried again in vain.__  
_

_ "That's not of the utmost importance right now," Remus rudely interrupted again.__  
_

_ "I'm pregnant."__  
_

_ "What?" Remus turned around to face her now.__  
_

_ "Remus, I'm pregnant," she repeated. "With your child."__  
_

_ "B-but—," he began. This time she cut him off.__  
_

_ "Remus, I know what you're thinking. But please, give me a chance." She added again quietly, her eyes wide, "Please." _

That night as Remus lay next to her, his thoughts bounced his head wildly. A baby? _His_ baby?

What if it turned out like him? But what if it wasn't? What if it was all a mistake?

The next day, Remus and Tonks heard about her parents being tortured. They Apparated there to stay, and to give them comfort. Remus doubted the Death Eaters would return. Tonks told them of her pregnancy, and they were thrilled.

Later that night, Remus got to thinking. He knew where Harry, Ron, and Hermione were. What if they needed help? They didn't have to tell him the purpose of their "mission". And they would want news of what had happened since they disappeared. Right?

But really, Remus wanted to get away. From Tonks. From the baby. From his life.

What highly surprised Remus was Harry's reaction. All three children were ecstatic and anxious to hear news of the outside world, as was expected. But when Remus made his offer, Harry began questioning him. About his intentions, his reasons, and about none other than Tonks.  
Immediately, Remus went on the defensive. How dare he accuse him of wanting to leave Tonks and the baby! How dare he call him a coward! And in a fit of rage, Remus stormed out. He Disapparated and ended up in a deserted countryside, the fight with Harry haunting him.

_"I'm pretty sure my father would have wanted to know why you aren't sticking with your own kid, actually."__  
_

_ "So you're just going to dump her and the kid and run off with us?"__  
_

_ "I think you're feeling a bit of a daredevil. You fancy stepping into Sirius's shoes—,"__  
_

_ "The man who taught me to fight dementors– a coward."__  
_

_ "...if, by some miracle, it is not like me, then it will be better off, a hundred times so, without a father of whom it must always be ashamed!"_ (4) _  
_

And then suddenly, Remus knew. He must go back.

_It was late at night when he returned. Quietly, he shut the front door, and headed into the living room. He attempted to throw his overcoat onto the couch, but with a gasp, he found Tonks. With a flick of her wand, she turned on the lights and faced him.__  
_

_ "Bastard," she spat, then she walked past him and stared into the fire grate. The word stung, but he knew he deserved it. "I'm sorry, Tonks—,"__  
_

_ She laughed shortly. "Oh, right. You're_sorry_," she snarled with a sneer worthy of Malfoy. "Don't make excuses, Remus. I know what you were planning to do. Leave me, and go running off with Harry to go relive your glory days."__  
_

_ "No, Tonks, no," he said, shaking his head and taking a few steps toward her. "That's not it at all."__  
_

_ "Then what is it, Remus?" she asked, turning around.__  
_

_ "I– you'll think it's stupid," he mumbled.__  
_

_ She arched an eyebrow skeptically. He took a shaky breath, then said, "I feel so guilty, Tonks. I've made you an outcast, I got you pregnant, pregnant with a werewolf, no doubt. Your parents are ashamed, and now you're probably ashamed. And I am so, so sorry."__  
_

_ Tonks stared at him. It was quite unnerving to him. "Tonks?"__  
_

_ "On, Remus," she said, shaking her head and laughing. "Do you think I don't know all this?"__  
_

_ "Oh, you do then?" he asked sarcastically. "Well then please, enlighten me. What is so funny about the situation?"__  
_

_ Now she let out a bark of laughter. "Remus, I was already aware of what I was getting into when I married you. So did my parents. And you can't exactly choose who you fall in love with."__  
_

_ Remus sighed, averting his eyes to the ground. Then as a thought occurred to him, he looked back up at Tonks with a sly smile. "So... does that mean you're not mad at me, then?"__  
_

_ "Oh, well, of course I am," she said with a dazzling smile. "That's why you're sleeping on the couch tonight."__  
_

_ As she left the room, Remus sighed, smiling to himself. Her mood changes really scared him sometimes. _

After his fight with Tonks was resolved, all that Remus could think about was his fight with Harry. How was he going to fix this problem?

Then he was given the perfect opportunity: _Potterwatch_!

_Tonks was upstairs taking a nap, which was rare for her, and Remus was downstairs on the couch, dozing himself. Then a lynx Patronus bounded into the middle of the room, startling Remus. He barely managed to stifle a yelp of surprise, remembering the still-snoozing Tonks upstairs.__  
_

_ The lynx spoke in the slow, reassuring voice of Kingsley: "_Potterwatch_will be broadcasting from an abandoned Muggle recording studio on Edgar Street in London, effective this evening at ten o'clock. Please send back your consent of joining us in broadcasting via Patronus as soon as possible. We hope to see you again." The lynx dissolved.__  
_

_ Tonks bumbled down the stairs as fast as her feet could carry her. She ran into the living room, her baby bump clearly evident.__  
_

_ "W-was that K-kingsley?" she gasped, rubbing her tummy worriedly.__  
_

_ Remus turned to her. "Yes, he wants me to do _Potterwatch_." At this, Tonks visibly brightened.__  
_

_ "Well, hop to it then!" she crowed. After sending his Patronus, Tonks helped him into his coat and smoothed out the collar. "Be careful," she warned sternly, patting his chest once with both hands.__  
_

_ When Lupin Apparated into the studio, he wondered why Kingsley hadn't emphasized the word_abandoned_. The small building was shabby, to say the least. However, all the equipment was set and ready, and the place had a slightly homier fell than the last cave they managed to broadcast from.__  
_

_ "Remus!" Kingsley said warmly upon entrance. He looked a bit worse-for-wear because of his encounter with the Death Eaters, but not too bad.__  
_

_ "Hey, Remus!' chorused Lee and Fred together, and they both looked decidedly better.__  
_

_ "Hey, everyone," said Remus. "Are we ready?" He really hoped Harry was listening.__  
_

_ The broadcast began, but as Remus braced himself to let something slip in for harry, Lee seemed to have read his mind:__  
_

_ "And what would you say to Harry if you knew he was listening, Romulus?"__  
_

_ "I'd tell him we're all with him in spirit." He took a deep breath before adding, "And I'd tell him to follow his instincts, which are good and nearly always right."_(5)

He finally felt better. He told Tonks so when he got home later in the night. She was glad, but to top it all off, she said she was considering asking Harry to be their baby's godfather. Remus jumped on the idea. He couldn't wait to tell Harry.

He hadn't realized the opportunity would be presented so soon.

_A couple of weeks after_Potterwatch_, Remus was rushing to the delivery room at St. Mungo's with Tonks, who was fit to burst. She was now having contractions every ten minutes. She was already practicing her breathing patterns (and Remus couldn't help but to do them with her). He was going to need to stay calm if he wanted to see this baby delivered.__  
_

_ A mere three hours later, a new life entered the world.__  
_

_ "Theodore Remus Lupin," said Remus in awe.__  
_

_ "Hello little Teddy," cooed Tonks affectionately. Andromeda Tonks, standing on the other side of the bed across from Remus, beamed.__  
_

_ "Theodore Remus Lupin," Remus repeated again. He still couldn't believe it. Theodore after Tonks's father, who had gone into hiding when Muggle-borns were called into the Ministry. Unfortunately, his death was confirmed weeks earlier right before_Potterwatch_, and Tonks and her mother were still recovering from the blow.__  
_

_ Remus, despite his happiness, still felt a sense of foreboding. How long could this bliss last? He was inexplicably reminded of James and Lily, but he immediately shook the thought from his head.__  
_

_ He looked down at his son. His_son_. He looked so much like Tonks. His hair was... black? He wasn't quite sure, but he was beautiful either way. And, he wasn't like him. He wasn't a werewolf. _

_There was no better relief._

Later, after permission was bestowed upon him by Tonks, Remus traveled to Shell Cottage (where he knew Harry, Ron, and Hermione to be secretly staying) to share his happy news.

Everyone was ecstatic. Harry was shocked, but he still readily agreed to be Teddy's godfather. Nothing could be better. It was like a burning candle, a flame amidst all the darkness. The news of Teddy's birth was hope. Despite being on the brink of disaster, Remus finally felt whole.

Of course, it had always been short-lived.

Just a mere day later, Remus was sent a message from Fred, summoning him to Hogwarts to aid the resistance against You-Know-Who and his allies. Before leaving Andromeda's, where he, Tonks, and Teddy were currently staying, Remus begged Tonks to remain there with Teddy and her mum. She looked pained at the prospect of him fighting without her, but she obliged.

A little bit after Remus arrived, Percy showed up, and in an attempt to smooth over the tension, Fleur asked about Teddy. In response, Remus pulled out a picture of his infant son for the attention of Harry and Fleur. Again, those feelings of pain, fear, and abandonment nagged at his heart, but at Percy's shout, he swallowed them. There was a war to be fought.

At first, Remus felt ready. After those staying to fight were split into groups, Remus led his party out to the grounds a distance off from the Astronomy Tower (coincidentally where Dumbledore had fallen to his death). Remus began to mentally prepare himself.

At the stroke of midnight, the Death Eaters took no time in hesitating to strike. With Voldemort's words and the mantra of _Teddy_, _Dora_, _Teddy_, _Dora_replaying in his head, Remus struck with full force. Unfortunately, overwhelmed by sheer numbers, Remus and part of his group were forced to retreat inside the castle to continue the battle.

Remus fought with the most intensity he had ever had. Death Eaters fell with a slash of his wand and a curse poised on his tongue. It was a brilliant cycle, and Remus felt unstoppable. However, his skill and power attracted attention, and soon Remus was cornered by five Death Eaters near an abandoned pedestal that a suit of armor used to occupy. Strangely, Remus was not concerned. With a fire raging in his heart, Remus watched as one by one, the Death Eaters dropped like stones.

But when Remus noticed a flash of pink in his peripheral line of vision, the fire burning inside him was diminished to a flickering candle flame that with one breath could be extinguished.  
Remus' hesitation allowed one Death Eater to step in and throw a curse at him. He had only a moment for retaliation, but he managed.

As a group of fighters led by a gray-haired man ran past, Remus managed to blast off the Death Eater's mask and discover his true identity.

"Dolohov," Remus muttered angrily through gritted teeth. Dolohov gave Remus a wicked smile that looked more like a grimace. "I hope you're prepared," Dolohov said in a voice that sounded like scalding knives.

"You bet he is!" a woman's voice crowed, and the candle inside of Remus was blown out. Tonks, in all of her pink-haired glory, rushed to Remus' side, and attacked Dolohov with such force that instead of laughing (like he had been moments before), he began snarling.

But he wasn't done in for yet. With a growl, Dolohov attacked with the might of ten men, and it took Tonks and Remus' combined efforts to keep him at bay.

Between curses, Remus said, "What are—," _swish_, "you—," _flick_, "doing—," _twirl_, "here?"

"I came to—," _slash_, "find you!" Tonks responded breathlessly. "I couldn't go on without you."  
Remus looked over at Tonks, and finally it all clicked. Finally, Remus got the one thing he never knew he was searching for: unconditional love. Remus knew his final moment was coming, but he wasn't scared, because he was fighting for a better world. And when Remus and Tonks shared a final look, Remus' last thought was, _definitely worth the risk_.

**A/N: YAYAYAYAY! Finally, it is COMPLETE! This story took me over a year to finish (I know, sort of sad) because of my hectic schedule. This is Caseyandra. Thanks to Lucretia for her editing and patience! I dedicate this story to you! I'm sorry if it feels like the story was sort of rushed two-thirds into it (at least, I felt it was), but I wanted to finish it. I hope you enjoyed it and thanks for reading!******

(1) This excerpt was taken from page 614 in the US 2005 edition of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.  
(2) This excerpt was taken from page 615 in the US 2005 edition of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.  
(3) This excerpt was taken from pages 623-4 in the US 2005 edition of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.  
(4) This excerpt was taken from pages 212-14 in the US 2007 edition of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.**  
(5) This excerpt was taken from page 441 in the US 2007 edition of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.**


End file.
